AmeriCorps Week is a week-long celebration of the people and programs who have committed to “Get Things Done” in thousands of locations across the country since the inception of AmeriCorps in 1994. The NESS SEA (STEM Education Ambassador) AmeriCorps program uses national service to engage the students of New London County, CT, in STEM-based ocean adventure learning.

AmeriCorps is a national movement of over 75,000 people dedicated to a year of service in communities across the country committed to fostering civic engagement and addressing community needs. A few ways the NESS SEA AmeriCorps team contributes to these initiatives is by supporting students in various schools through in-classroom support, mentoring, and tutoring, as well as designing and implementing STEM-based extended learning and summer programs using NESS’s platforms of marine science, adventure sports, and sailing.

WHY I SERVE

“This month at Natchaug Thames Valley, we spent a few weeks talking about marine mammals. This sounds like a generic topic to cover in the realm of marine science; however, to me, it was a very exciting lesson to teach. Marine mammals began my passion for Marine Science and led me to get my degree and start my career in this field. When I was in middle school, my grandmother took me on a whale-watching tour where I got to see whales, seals, and an insane number of dolphins. From then on, I wanted to know everything I could about them, and that devotion to marine science has never wavered. When it came time to teach about them at Natchaug Thames Valley, I had a lot of fun facts to share and so much enthusiasm for it. Every student participates in all the NESS lessons which is a big deal for a lot of the students in this school. A few of the kids even volunteered to be a part of our ‘make you into a marine mammal’ activity where they had to dress up in things like a wetsuit and a silly wig to represent characteristics of a marine mammal. We showed them specimens, did a blubber experiment, and walked through a life-sized inflatable humpback whale. Seeing their excitement and curiosity for marine mammals as we laughed and chatted through the lesson brought me back to when I first fell in love with Marine Science. I get to spend a lot of time with these students on a regular school day, and they don’t normally get moved or thrilled by their schoolwork. On this day, I could see how much they enjoyed what they were learning and how interested they were in what we were saying. One of the students has even said he really wants to come to camp at NESS this summer so he can learn more about marine science. Marine mammals may have been the reason I fell in love with this field, but its days like these and comments like those that keep that love for marine science alive.”

-NESS SEA AmeriCorps Member Kim Donoghue

JOIN US: SERVE AS A NESS SEA AMERICORPS MEMBER!

Recruitment for New England Science & Sailing SEA AmeriCorps takes place in February-June for our service year which begins in August. Successful applicants have completed at least 2 years of post-secondary education, a passion for working with underserved students, a commitment to community service, experience in leading sailing and outdoor adventures, and an interest in STEM Education.

To learn more about what it takes to be a NESS Sea AmeriCorps member, click here!

Follow the NESS SEA AmeriCorps Facebook and Instagram pages to see what our AmeriCorps team is up to!